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General Fitness & HealthDiscuss general fitness. conditioning and health topics.

Here are ten keys to strength training success.
See how many of them you apply in your own
training!

1. When you start a new program, break into it
easily. You don’t need to go full steam from day
one. Build up gradually.

1a. The same applies if you add a new exercise to
your program.

2. Be consistent. Never miss a workout. Every time
you miss a workout you take two steps backward.

3. Emphasize heavy leg and back training. Leg and
back training is the key to strength, power and
muscle.

4. When I say to “train heavy,” I obviously mean
to train heavy for your current level of development.
That may mean 100 pounds in the squat for one lifter,
200 pounds for another lifter, and 300 pounds for a
third lifter. For some lifters, it may mean 400 or
500 pounds.

5. Add weight to the bar whenever possible. The name
of the game is progressive weight training.

6. When you add weight to the bar, add small amounts.
Over time, the small increases add up to BIG GAINS.

7. Most trainees do too many exercises, too many sets,
and too many reps – and they train too often. It isn’t
until they streamline their workouts and focus on
QUALITY TRAINING that they finally begin to make gains.

7a. Quality Training is Tommy Kono’s term for what I
call abbreviated training. He won two Olympic gold
medals and one silver medal with Quality Training.

7b. Quality Training means you choose a small number
of productive exercises, train them hard, and then
stop for the day.

8. Norb Schemansky won medals in FOUR different Olympics
(1948, 1952, 1960 and 1964) – an amazing competition
record. He once said, “If you can’t get it done in 45
minutes, it ain’t gonna happen.”

9. Divided workouts are great. A divided workout lets
you focus your efforts on one, two or three exercises
in each workout, and give them your all.

9a. REST one or two days between workouts, even if
you are using a divided workout program.

9b. Your muscles grow when you are resting, not when
you are training.

10. For many trainees, ultra-abbreviated training
programs are the key to success.

There you have it – ten keys to strength training
success! Read, them, remember them, and apply them!